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Description: Portland, Oregon criminal defense lawyer represented defendant charged with bank fraud and identity theft scheme targeting female victims in the Portland Metropolitan Area.

Delvin Mills, 30, was a member of the Felony Lane Gang, an interstate criminal organization based in Florida that traveled to locations throughout the U.S. to commit vehicle break-in and fraud sprees. The organization targeted female victims who would leave their purses, wallets, and valuables in parked cars. After victims exited their vehicles—often to drop off children, run errands, or visit a gym—Felony Lane Gang members would break into the vehicles to steal targeted items. After the theft, the gang members quickly deployed associates to conduct fraudulent bank or merchant transactions using their victims’ stolen identification, checks, and credit or debit cards.

In the fall of 2019, Mills led a group of individuals who traveled to Portland to target local victims. Once Mills and his accomplices stole items from a vehicle, they checked to see if one of several female co-conspirators resembled the victim. If one of their female co-conspirators could impersonate the victim, they would attempt to cash fraudulent checks written in the impersonated victim’s name. The co-conspirators would cash checks at various local banks, using the outer-most lane of each bank’s drive-up teller window to avoid detection.

Investigators identified 32 vehicle thefts and 22 instances of bank fraud committed during Mills’ most recent known Oregon crime spree. In total, this spree resulted in a financial loss of more than $98,000. After Mills left Portland, he and a co-conspirator—Damian Fletcher, 27, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida—travelled to Denver, Colorado where they continued breaking into cars and stealing identities.

On June 6, 2020, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a 14-count superseding indictment charging Mills, Fletcher, and four co-defendants with conspiring to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft. On February 24, 2021, Mills pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.

After Mills pleaded guilty and was released on supervision conditions pending sentencing, he was arrested in Nevada for again breaking into cars. One month after his Nevada arrest, he was arrested in Southern Illinois for perpetrating a scheme similar to the one he had operated in Oregon. Mills’ arrest in Illinois led to a second federal conviction for which he will be sentenced on July 20, 2022.

On January 7, 2021, Fletcher pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. On May 3, 2021, he was sentenced to three years in federal prison and three years’ supervised release.

Co-defendants Megan Spurlock, 28, of Washington State; Linda Marie Lupo, 53, of Deerfield, Florida; and Justin Curry, 29, of Fort Lauderdale, have all pleaded guilty and were sentenced for their roles in the scheme.

U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug of the District of Oregon made the announcement.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the West Linn Police Department, Tualatin Police Department, and Clark County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Seth D. Uram and Quinn P. Harrington, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.

18:1349 - Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud
(1)
18:1344 - Bank Fraud
(2-8)
18:1028A - Aggravated Identity Theft
(9)

Outcome: 07/14/2022 291 Minutes of Proceedings: Sentencing Hearing held before Judge Michael W. Mosman as to Defendant Delvin Mills(USM #19357-023). See Formal Judgment. Restitution Ordered in the amount of $98,733.00. Defendant advised of right to appeal. Counsel Present for Plaintiff: Seth Uram. Counsel Present for Defendant: Kendra Matthews. (USPO Present: Ryan Adamson) (Court Reporter Bonita Shumway) (kms) (Entered: 07/14/2022)

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